[System Notification: Nicole's Favorability +10% | Current: 40% | Reward: 2 Lottery Draws!]
"Fantastic!" Nicole's eyes lit up as she snatched the card from the table. She squeezed onto the sofa beside Ye Qingfeng, pressing a steamed bun into his hand with an unusually sweet smile. "Here, you should eat more! Can't have you going hungry!"
"Boss Nicole, you're squishing me!"
Anby protested through a mouthful of bun, her lips shining with oil.
"Nicole, you should eat too," Ye Qingfeng said, amused by her sudden change in demeanor. "At this rate, Anby will finish everything." He added with a playful grin, "Just don't forget my paycheck!"
Nicole shot a mock-stern glance at Anby before quickly reassuring him, "Of course! From now on, when I eat meat, you'll get the soup!"
Basking in post-meal contentment, Nicole generously distributed bonuses—10,000 Denny each to Anby and Ye Qingfeng.
However, Ye Qingfeng found his envelope contained an additional 20,000 Denny, bringing his total to a substantial 30,000.
The extra payment felt suspiciously like hush money, with Billy—conveniently absent—being the only one excluded from the unexpected windfall.
That afternoon, Ye Qingfeng accompanied Anby to the cinema. After the show, she decided to treat herself to two hamburgers from a fast-food joint.
She extended the invitation to Ye Qingfeng, but he politely declined.
Their outing—which he mentally classified as a date—yielded a 5% favorability increase from Anby!
Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that her favorability was climbing unusually slowly. Was he imagining things?
After parting ways with Anby, Ye Qingfeng headed to the mall alone. He needed to acquire various practical items for his spatial backpack—emergency supplies that might prove useful later.
Consequently, the Denny he'd just received was nearly depleted before it could warm his pocket. With his remaining funds, he purchased some groceries from the market. The knowledge that he could expense these to Nicole with a little creative accounting immediately lifted his spirits.
Money had once meant everything to him, but that was before his incarceration. Three years in confinement had reshaped his perspective, making wealth feel increasingly abstract.
Now, his desire for material possessions had significantly diminished.
That evening, Ye Qingfeng successfully submitted his expense report to Nicole and prepared a simple dinner. Billy, who'd been scarce lately, made a surprise appearance at the meal.
Thus concluded another ordinary day in New Eridu.
Though Ye Qingfeng's 300,000 Denny infusion had provided temporary relief, Nicole knew it wasn't a long-term solution. The very next day, she resumed her frantic search for profitable commissions.
After a week of handling minor tasks, her persistence finally paid off: a commission to retrieve stolen property. The target was the Red Fang Gang, who had recently raided a research institute and made off with a secure container.
During the team briefing, it was decided Ye Qingfeng would handle transportation while the other three executed the mission's primary objectives.
Just as everyone settled into the vehicle, ready for departure, Nicole suddenly remembered a crucial detail. "Wait—do you even have a driver's license?"
It turned out Ye Qingfeng not only lacked certification but had never driven before. With a sigh, Nicole switched seats with him, sternly instructing him to obtain a license at the earliest opportunity.
What followed was a harrowing journey through New Eridu's streets, with Nicole driving at breakneck speeds and taking corners with terrifying momentum.
Ye Qingfeng sat pale-faced in the passenger seat, his motion sickness making every jolt and swerve pure torture.
What he'd initially thought would be tolerable now felt unbearable. His only coherent thought: I need to get out!
"Nicole... please stop the car..."
"What was that?"
His weak plea was drowned out by wind rushing through the open window. Nicole's momentary distraction proved nearly catastrophic when a cat darted across their path.
She swerved violently, tires screeching as the car skidded to a halt on the roadside. Nicole gripped the steering wheel, breathing heavily, her arms trembling slightly from the adrenaline.
"Qingfeng, what were you—" She turned to the passenger seat, only to find it empty. "Where did he go?!"
The door hung open. Further down the road, she spotted Ye Qingfeng hunched over a trash bin, dry heaving while Anby rubbed his back comfortingly.
"Brother Qingfeng, are you alright?!"
During their time together, Billy had grown quite fond of Ye Qingfeng, their favorability reaching 40%!
[Current Favorability Status]
Nicole:45%
Anby:35%
Zhu Yan:50% (stagnant since their postponed weekend plans)
Billy:40%
As for his four lottery draws, all yielded A-grade rewards:
· Personal stats interface
· 20% Ether adaptation boost
· 1,000,000 Denny (in two installments)
Since transmigrating, Ye Qingfeng's luck seemed remarkably improved—six consecutive draws without a single B-grade outcome. When he'd inquired about probabilities, the system revealed: B-grade 65%, A-grade 33%, S-grade merely 2%.
"Starting to... feel better..."
After emptying his stomach, Ye Qingfeng finally regained some composure. He retrieved a tissue from his pocket and wiped his mouth.
He hadn't realized he'd been designated the driver until that morning. The others had apparently assigned him this "responsibility" as a form of initiation.
Nicole's "thoughtful" gesture of forcing him into the driver's seat now seemed considerably less benevolent.
During the remainder of the trip, Nicole drove more cautiously, finally delivering them safely to 14th Street.
"Watch the car," she instructed Ye Qingfeng before confidently leading Anby and Billy toward their objective.
From Ye Qingfeng's perspective, this assignment was clearly designed to coddle the new recruit. They hadn't even briefed him on mission details! Did they really think the car would wander off on its own?
"Be good now—stay put."
Recognizing a perfect opportunity to relax, Ye Qingfeng had no intention of standing guard like a fool. He patted the hood dismissively before strolling off to explore the neighborhood.
After wandering for about ten minutes, he purchased two hamburgers and claimed a window seat with a clear view of the vehicle. He passed the time messaging Zhu Yan until her work duties resumed.
With his hamburgers consumed and conversation partner occupied, he could only rest his head on the table, killing time.
'System, display my status.'
[Personal Data Interface]
Name:Ye Qingfeng
Gender:Male
Age: 19
Ether Adaptation:80%
Notable Possessions:990,000 Denny, Spatial Backpack (10m³), assorted survival items
Skill
s:Close Combat (Master), Culinary Arts (Master), Lockpicking (Expert), Accelerated Learning, Sixth Sense (Latent)
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